


a distant ship's smoke on the horizon

by star_munches



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Precious Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-07-28 15:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16244828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/star_munches/pseuds/star_munches
Summary: It's moments like these—when Peter is so obviouslyhurtingand trying to suppress it—that May doubts her parenting skills the most. She has noideahow to help him, to placate his pain and make everything sunshine and rainbows again. She takes two deep breaths, three—she shouldn't be the anguished one here. Shecan'tbe, because Peter needs her, and she's failing, and it's only getting worse—(or: May is trying. She really is. The thing is, a certain purple genocidal alien has made things difficult for everyone, and May has no idea how to comfort Peter after everything he's been through.)





	a distant ship's smoke on the horizon

**Author's Note:**

> Look, it's me, back at it again with the Peter Parker hurt/comfort :)
> 
> Title of this fic is from the song Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd. 
> 
> Enjoy! <3

The weeks since everyone was brought back have been tough, no doubt. After seeing the news on the television, hearing Tony Stark’s broken voice a day or so later telling her about her nephew… May Parker had believed that she truly had lost the only family she had left.

The reunion all those months later hadn’t been much easier. Seeing Peter so helpless, so vulnerable, so… _scared,_ it had taken everything in May not to break. She had gathered the young boy in her arms, unsuccessfully attempting to suppress the tears that gathering in her eyes and blurring her vision.

Tony Stark had been there, too. Although May had almost strangled him when he first told her about Peter’s demise, at that moment, she couldn’t have been more grateful. That man has saved Peter’s life, brought him and billions more back to the land of the living.

The days since then, Peter has tried to adjust. He seems more quiet now, less ambitious and energetic like he was before. It’s almost as someone has taken a picture of him and photocopied him too many times—to the point where he just isn’t Peter anymore. It’s taken a toll on the whole world, May knows. She also knows there isn’t much she can do—she can’t take away his suit, she can’t prevent him from putting himself in danger again. Because that’s just who Peter is. Selfless. Caring. A much better person than May can ever be.

She can’t protect him—but she can comfort him. She can hug him, stroke his hair, feel him in her arms to make sure that he is _real_ and not dusted away like half the universe was.

So that is what May Parker decides to do.

They’re sitting on the couch, watching some _Star Wars_ movie or something that Peter likes. A bowl of popcorn rests between them, untouched. It was May’s idea to have a movie night, and she thinks that things are going pretty well. Sure, the popcorn is burnt and this is Peter’s least favorite _Star Wars_ episode… but he seems to be enjoying it. And this way, May can make sure that he is _here_ and not in danger like he usually is.

As Peter watches the movie, May studies him with a fond smile. This has been his first moment to relax in _months,_ May realizes. Between school, patrol, and later on ugly purple aliens and death… relaxing hasn’t been much of an option. But now, Peter finally has the chance to be relieved of his great responsibility and unwind.

May is so caught up in her thoughts that she doesn’t notice the change in Peter’s expression, from one of enjoyment to a more subtle look of fear… and horror. Worried, May quickly grasps Peter’s hand in hers—slowly, she begins to feel the slight tremors running through them. He sends her what he probably means to be a reassuring smile, but it looks more forced than anything else. He doesn’t turn back to the television; instead, he seems to be gazing at everything but.

Panicking now, May squeezes Peter’s hand tighter, hoping the act alone will be enough to comfort him. She doesn’t know what went wrong, what to do to help him, only knows that she messed up _again,_ and Peter is suffering for it. Her attention drives back to the television—the characters are in space now, assembled in some sort of—

Oh.

_Shit._

She fumbles over the remote before she even knows what she’s doing. “Are there any other movies you’d like to watch, sweetie? We don’t—we shouldn’t watch this one, it’s old anyway, I’m sure there are better ones to—”

“May,” he says, his voice trembling. “It’s alright.”

She tears her eyes away from the remote to look at him in the eye. “Peter—it’s okay. I understand. You don’t have to pretend that—”

“ _No,”_ Peter insists, stronger and firmer than before. “I can handle it.”

May lets the remote go limp in her hand.

It’s moments like these—when Peter is so obviously _hurting_ and trying to suppress it—that May doubts her parenting skills the most. She has no _idea_ how to help him, to placate his pain and make everything sunshine and rainbows again. She takes two deep breaths, three—she shouldn’t be the anguished one here. She _can’t_ be, because Peter needs her, and she’s failing, and it’s only getting worse—

“ _Star Wars_ has been important to me almost my entire life.”

May glances up—Peter’s speaking again. He’s taking deep breaths, his hand trembling even more vigorously. But he sets his jaw and ventures further.

“Ned and I—you know us. We’ve built Lego Death Stars, X-wing fighters, AT-AT Walkers… we’ve got action figures and collectibles…” his voice breaks. “What I’m trying to say is… I love _Star Wars._ I’m not gonna let some purple self-righteous douchebag ruin that for me. Just because… the setting looks exactly like space n’ stuff… and the _Millennium Falcon_ reminds me of that donut ship thing… and—and the planets look really similar to—” he blinks away his tears. “To Titan…”

He does cry then, silent tears racing down his cheeks.

“Oh, Peter…” May wraps her arms around him, enveloping him in her embrace. She doesn’t think her heart can break any more than it already has, but seeing Peter so broken, shuddering sobs wracking his entire body as he desperately tries to keep himself from falling apart…

May doesn’t just feel like her heart has broken. She feels like it has been ripped straight from her chest, torn out of her body, casted far away from her soul.

Peter wipes his tears away frantically, managing a few deep breaths as more teardrops fall to the floor.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” May whispers. “ _Breathe.”_

He shakes his head, takes another deep breath, shakes his head more. He sniffles, wiping his nose with his sleeve. May rubs soothing circles into his back, hoping it will help.

Finally, Peter swallows. “Thanos has taken… so much… I can’t—I won’t let him take this too.”

May nods. “You’re so strong,” she murmurs. “I’m so, _so_ proud of you, Peter.  _So_ proud.”

They sit like that for a while, god knows how long—May rubbing circles into Peter’s back, holding him as the last tears fall from his eyes. The television plays quietly in the background, but now, the depictions of space and wasteland planets doesn’t seem to bring back horrible memories for Peter. Instead, he seems intrigued by the scenery—as if he’s seeing it for the first time.

He looks up from the television to stare at May. An unspoken surge of gratitude shows through his bloodshot eyes. Another emotion is there too—something May doesn’t quite recognize.

“What is it, Peter?” she asks softly.

He lets out a wet chuckle, and May is relieved to hear his laugh again. “It’s just…” he shakes his head. “Space is _big._ All these movies, even the scientists of today, they’re so _wrong._ It’s funny.”

May smiles. “Not sure if they’d believe a sixteen-year-old kid from Queens if you tried to prove them wrong, though.”

“Nah. I’d rather let them blindly believe that space travel is impossible except for going to the moon and that the only aliens that exist are the ones in New York all those years ago.”

Peter rests his head on her shoulder, his eyes fluttering closed. Only after the anxiety passes and the exhaustion kicks in does May realize that she, too, is tired. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, she notices Peter offering her a shy smile.

“Thank you, May.”

“For what?” she asks sleepily, forcing her heavily eyelids open.

He doesn’t respond, just closes his eyes and rests his head on her shoulder once again. Soon, Peter is asleep in her arms, drool trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Just before drowsiness overcomes May as well, she manages one final glance at her resting nephew’s expression. Maybe it’s a trick of the light, maybe a figure of her imagination, but May can swear she can almost see a small smile etched onto the sleeping face of Peter Parker.

Even after all this time.

**Author's Note:**

> And... that was short. My shortest fic so far, but--oh well. I tried. I wrote this months ago, when I was experimenting with different tropes and ideas, so it's not my best work, tbh. Since it's been taking me so long to write my other fics, I thought I'd post this in the meantime while I continue to write. Idk. 
> 
>    
> Comments and kudos warm my heart and make me feel giddy with happiness :)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I have a bunch of more iron dad & spider son fics in progress, so stay tuned for that! <3  
>    
> -Iris-


End file.
